1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component and a method for fabricating the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic component which includes a very rigid and solid protection layer made of a metal oxide, so that an element covered with the protection layer is effectively sealed (i.e., having excellent moisture resistance and chemical resistance, for example) and insulated, and the resultant electronic component has excellent mechanical strength and can be smoothly mounted, and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an element of an electronic component is covered with a protection layer in order to protect the element from damage (for example, breaking, cracking, and being strained) and deterioration (due to moisture, gas, acid, alkali, and the like). For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-47513 and No. 6-96907 disclose a multilayer varistor having a glass protection layer. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-124807 discloses a multilayer varistor having layers made of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 or glass formed at the top and bottom of the varistor. A resin protection layer made of a thermosetting resin and the like is also known.
A glass protection layer tends to be peeled off or cracked by shock and heat, and consequently allows water to enter inside through the peeled or cracked portion. The resin protection layer, which is hygroscopic itself, does not sufficiently work as a protection layer because a protection layer must shut off the inside from an external environment. The protection layers formed at the top and bottom of the varistor as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-124807 do not cover the entire surface of an element of the varistor, and thus, do not provide sufficient sealing. Accordingly, conventional protection layers fail to provide sufficient sealing (i.e., moisture resistance and chemical resistance, for example) and insulation to an element covered with the protection layer.
Further, the glass protection layer tends to be peeled off and crack as described above. Accordingly, the resultant electronic component having a glass protection layer is poor in mechanical strength and cannot be smoothly mounted.
Thus, an electronic component capable of providing excellent sealing and insulation of an element thereof as well as excellent mechanical strength and smooth mounting is desired.